Like in the two chapters before, the scenes in this story are based on the game version of Van Helsing, with one scene from the movie.

Chapter three; two brides and plan of action

The day after his arrival, Van Helsing had gathered his weapons out in the unused dining area. He had his crossbow, dual revolvers, knives, shotgun and grapple gun laid out on the brown-coloured table with space in-between. His hat sat on the table as well with his leather-gloves and a large map of Romania with red circles around certain spots like the Romania towns and castles like Castle Frankenstein and the former but totally destroyed Castle Valerious.

He rested his hands flatly against the surface as he gazed over the map with his hazel eyes. His short brown left-parted hair fell forward and hid his face from sight. He was busy.

Clare walked into the room with her hands holding a cup of hot English-made tea, very strong and with three spoons of sugar. She took a sip as she approached the monster hunter, careful of the hot cup and watched him with her eyes before speaking, swallowing the water-mixed mixture. He reminded her of Natasha such as she would focus on looking at maps despite being watched. "You remind me of Tasha... in some way, like looking at maps. You just have this way of staring." the older sister said before taking another sip. Sophanne could be heard in the kitchen, making toast and a cup of tea by banging the ceramic pieces unintentionally.

"Can I ask about your parents, if you don't mind. You said your mother died when you and your sister were young. What about your father?" the monster hunter asked as he moved his gaze from the map of Romania to the older Madeson sister. Her orange hair was placed into two long plaited pigtails by the sides of her head, tied with black bangs. She wore a white t-shirt with pink sleeves attached to the short sleeves, and with pinks rings around the collar and the bottom edge of the material. She also wore a pair of skinny jeans with low-flat shoes.

Clare's face dropped and she closed her eyes. "I don't mind." she took a deep breath because talking about the woman who carried both her and her sister for nine monthes and did everything to provide for them even if meant selling her own body, will always did have an impact on the surviving sisters. "Our mother was a... prostitute for over twelve years and did everything to provide for us, even if she had to go without food or sleep. She died when I was eleven and Sophanne was eight."

"Our father... wanted nothing to do with us and told us that we were dead to him and his family. We've been in care since... longer than Tasha." the nineteen year old said. Her eyes flashing with flashbacks of her childhood, good and back memories.

"What about Tasha's parents?"

"From what she told us, Tasha's mother fell terribly ill and died when she was six... She doesn't like to talk about it but we think it's because it shows how close she was to her mother... like me and Sophanne were to our mom. Her father, on the otherhand, is unknown."

Van Helsing stood straight, straighting his clothes and spoke, "I'm sorry about your and your sisters's mothers's. You girls must have loved your mother's dearly... even if your fathers didn't."

"Thanks..." it began to fell uncomfortable and both people shifted themselves before the nineteen year old changed the subject. "Anyway... what's the plan of action? Where will we search first?"

Yesterday, Clare had told the monster hunter that nothing would stop her nor her young sister from helping in the search and rescue. She wanted to find her sister badly and to make the vampire pay with his life but first, they had to find his lair. Van Helsing sighed and ran his fingertips through his short hair as he spoke in defeat, "We ride to Castle Frankenstein and if they are not there, we search further into the other villages."

"Right then," by this point Clare had finished her English-made tea and then placed the cup onto the table by her right, with one hand. "We best get moving... monster hunter." she joked as she made her way to out of the room and to grab her jacket from her bedroom on the upper floor, near her sister's room. Her orange-haired pigtails trailed after her.

. . .

Castle Dracula

The Brides had brought her black bag of clothes from her home, to her new home. They even made sure to bring all her clothes, most in the bag and the few left on the edge of her bed. The eldest bride brought the stuff to the room an hour before the seventeen year old teenager would wake from her sleep.

Natasha woke from her compelled sleep and the first thing she noticed was her bag of clothes. She didn't know what to think but didn't want to find out if she was to become Dracula's newest bride. She had to escape from this place of hell and make her way back to her home. She searched for her clothes that she wore on the day that she was taken, thankful that they brought all her clothes. She quickly changed and stuffed her PJs into the black bag before pulling on her sneaker shoes. She was about finished of tying her laces when she heard someone approaching. Her head, with her dark chocolate-coloured blonde-tinted hair whipped around to the door that had been kept locked.

Once her laces had been tied, Natasha stood up and approached the door, grabbing the doorknob and finding it unlocked. She swung it open slowly before walking into the long-distanced corridoor. She walked forward with having no idea of if there were other creatures of darkness waiting for her, ready to tear her heart out. She had met the infamous vampire Count Dracula and was completely terrified by him because of his reputation and the stories of him.

As Natasha carried on walking, she had no idea that she was near the lower levels and near the main library. She turned a corner and saw two women dressed in expensive dresses though the one on the left wore a bra-like top and baggy trousers, and even noticed the seventeen year old girl. "Oh, look... fresh blood." she gasped in excitement.

Her heart beated madly in fear with the older vampiress's and was about to back away upon being seen though she was stopped as she turned around to find the other vampiress standing in front of her. Her golden-coloured locks covered her front, shoulders and almost her entire back. The Bride wore a orange silk hand-made gown that hugged her body and showed off her bodily curves such as her large breasts and board hips.

"Hello, little one. My name is Alina and this is my younger sister, Chloe. Pleasant to meet you." she said in her Polish accent. Her hands rested on her hips as she slowly approached the young girl, eyes glowing and fangs elongating. She couldn't help but lick her lips. The other Bride, Chloe, teleported beside her older sister and did the exact thing as she, too, approached Natasha. "What is your name?"

"Natasha... Natasha Madison." she said as she continued to back away, in a different direction this time. Her silver-cross necklace was noticed on her chest, causing the Bride to speak. "That won't protect you forever."

"I know," the Bride known as Chloe teleported behind the girl and grabbed her into a hold which prevented her from backing away or fighting physically. Alina grabbed the girl's head and edged it to her left as she moved her elongated teeth closer and closer to her exposed throat, intending on feeding upon the girl's sweet blood that could smelt outside the body. "I'm afraid... this is going to hurt, very much but it will be quick." she told truthfully.

Natasha's heart was beating more and more uncontrollably, becoming distressed as the Bride was almost near with her fangs inches from biting into her skin. "You remind me of someone that had been my enemy years ago," she whispered shortly before her tips were barely an inch from the untainted skin. Count Vladislaus Dragulia had heard the comotion with his heightened senses, despite being on the other side of the Castle, sitting in his study. He could sense Natasha's heartbeat and mentally hear his Brides intentions. He appeared just in time to prevent his Bride from feeding upon the girl. "Alina! Chloe! That is enough!"

Chloe released the girl immediately and backed away as if she had been burnt whilst her sister turned around with her vampiric features gone and shock on her face. Dracula's eyes were highlighted icy blue and his teeth just like his demonic form. "She is not to be harmed at all! Is that clear?! You are not allowed in anyway of harming my guest, understood?!" he told his two Brides.

"Yes, master." spoke Chloe.

"Alina?!"

"Yes, master... understood." the brown-haired Bride said in defeat before turning her body to the direction of her room. "Come, sister. We have better things to do." she walked off, swinging her hips to the left and right with her sister following.

Once both Brides had left, the Count turned to his attention to Nastasha who had collasped during his confrontation with his vampire wives. She laid on the ground with a nosebleed that had been caused by Alina with too much stressed. Her right hand laid on her stomach flatly with her dark hair spreaded beneath her head in all directions. She was breathing, of course.

Dracula approached her and grabbed her right arm, placing it around his neck and then sliding his other arm under her knees, picking her bridal style. Her head laid against his shoulder, with the blood from her nose reaching her chin. "I've got you, child."

The Count began to walk back to the guest rooms, with the girl kept safe in his arms. He reached Natasha's room and entered with the door opening upon the Count's will. He approached the bed and gently placed the teenager down before using his hackichief to wipe away the free blood that Alina had caused on her.

Dracula pulled away from the teenage girl and gazed at her for a few seconds before he turned and left the room.

. . .

Castle Frankenstein

Van Helsing, Clare and Sophanne approached the pathway that would lead the trio to the Castle that once held the life and death experiements of Victor Frankenstein and where his monster was created. The weather started to snow, small-shaped flakes of white falling towards the ground and covering everything in sight. Even the trees and it's branches were covered in snow.

The monster hunter walked in front and the sisters behind, side-by-side. Both sisters couldn't stop thinking about their beloved sister, Natasha and what was happening to her. They already knew it was a vampire and the Madeson sister believed that this creature had captured her because he wanted her as his bride. 'We won't let that happen to you, Tasha.' Clare thought in her mind as she hoped, like her younger sister, that Natasha would be alive by the time they'd find her. Unknown to them, she was indeed alive and thriving.

The monster hunter held his grip on his automatic crossbow and his index finger on the trigger. It was loaded with blessed silver-arrows and ready to be used if nessasary. One of the perfect weapons against vampires and werewolves.

They reached the wooden doors that lead into a short-pathway that lead to the direct doors of Castle Frankenstein. In no time, the trio entered the old estate and searched high and low for the missing Madison sister but found her no where. Clare, like Van Helsing, searched the upper levels and entered the labortory which was where the monster was created and the same place where it was rumoured that his creator was murdered. During the search on the lower grounds, Sophanne discovered decaying old traces of what looked like slime and screamed until her sister and the monster hunter came to her and told her that it was the remains of a legendary vampire's offspring that didn't survive beyond birth.

"It's the remains of Count Dracula's offspring, or rather one of the many of thousands of vampiric offspring he fathered, with his three Brides, over the course of four centuries until I'd killed him." he told the youngest.

. . .

Castle Dracula

Natasha opened her eyes in the warm-filled room. The fireplace had been lit, so she wouldn't be cold upon awakening and the weather snowing outside. She sat up and rubbed her eyes with her fingers before she swung her legs over the side and moved to stand, shortly as small amount of dizziness caught her and forced her to lean over, groaning slightly. It lasted seconds and passed in no time as the sound of her heart beating and flowing blood in her ears disappeared over time.

Natasha stood straight and brushed her brown hair away from her face with her hands before rubbing her nose as flakes of dried blood fell from her nose. The dried bits of blood fell to the stoned ground. After rubbing her nose, Natasha grabbed her coat from her black bag and approached the door and turned the doorknob to which it clicked, and opened. She swung the door open and walked into the long corridoor like last time, and kept walking. She walked down the large staircases within the stoned estate and passed many rooms, which were locked as she tried them before carrying on. Her coat kept her warm as she walked through the large-stoned Castle, it seemed to be cold in every part of the place.

"Can it get any colder?" she questioned as she saw a staircase on her right and had a gut feeling of curiosity. Her sapphire orbs scanned at the dark entrance as she headed down and down until she heard sounds of animal growling. It wasn't until she reached the end did she realize that she had entered the den of werewolves. Dracula's servants.

Oh Crap.

Natasha gasped in shock and felt small amount of fear fill her body, almost stopping and freezing. She saw numerous werewolves, different sizes and ages as well as different colours. She saw one werewolf, it was grey in colour and quite large in size. It stood in the background, almost in the shadows, hidden from sight. She couldn't take her eyes off the creature until movement in the corner of her eye caught her. It was a young wolf, it's age must have been child age and it's colour was lovely sets of brown; dark to light.

It approached her, light on it's paws and then rubbed it side by her leg as if it had taken to shine to her. Natasha smiled and leaned onto her knees where she reached out and speared her fingers through it's darkest and lightest shade of brown fur. It was soft against her skin and made her fear disappear. The young wolf moved closer to her until his body rested on her lap, enjoying her attention on him and enjoying the body rub. It growled in response. "You quite cute for a young wolf,"

As a reply, the wolf opened his elongated mouth and used it's wet tongue to lick her cheek before she pulled away and happily spoke, "Ewww, keep that tongue to yourself. I don't know where it's been, nor want to know." she used her sleeve of her coat to wipe away the saliva on her cheek.

Natasha resumed brushing his fur and scratching his favourite spot which was behind his ears. Whilst the human girl was befriending the youngling, she had no idea that the large wolf in the back was hiding it's favourite master. Alina used her own influence on her favourite wolf, by scratching it's bent ears and whispering to him. "I need you to do me a favor, my favourite wolf? I need you to..."

"I see you found our youngest wolf Erik?" Natasha shot up and saw the other Bride standingby. Chloe, her name was. She had heard the girl's heartbeat on the way down to the den. Natasha felt the fear again, in her, at the thought of being restrained and almost bitten.

The Bride saw her distress and held her palms up, "Don't be afraid, I'm not hear to harm you. I'm just here to see some of the werewolves." once the girl's heart wasn't beating mad anymore. She relent. Chloe lowered her hands and rested them against her thighs.

"Yes," Natasha responded to the Bride's earlier question. "He is the youngest wolf I have ever met."

"Yes he is. Erik has been through alot, despite his age. His mother, over there, came to my master after the humans attacked her covern. She was pregnant with him at the time of the attack, and barely survived as well as barely escaped. She came to my lord and he took her in, nursing her back to health and helping her give birth to her son before she offered her services to him." the Bride pointed her finger, to which the girl followed and turned her head to the she-wolf at the left side of the den. Like her son, she had beautiful mixed-shades of brown.

"That's so sad, what happened to her."

"Yes... many werewolves attack humans because they want them to feel the same pain they felt, while few werewolves want to be left alone. This is totally understandable."

"What about Velkan Valerious?" Natasha asked. She had read about the history of the Valerious clan from the Romanian library. She had been taught to read and speak Romanian, which wasn't hard, and since the stories had been written in Romanian, she could read them.

"I see that you read alot?" the girl nodded. "Velkan Valerious had to be controlled. He had, what is called the 'wild symdrome' that all non-born werewolves possess in them. It forces both sides; mortal and wolf to fight each other until one side is able to win, in Velkan's case, my master had to control the Valerious prince by putting his own will upon the Valerious and then forcing the wolf under his control or he would have lost complete control anyway and gone on a relentless rampage unlessed stopped." Chloe said simply. She had been told about the event by her master and even saw his memory which showed Dracula forcing his control on the wolf before he could lose control.

During the conversation between the human and vampiress, Erik fought another wolf for the bone in the corner. Obivous that it wasn't human nor animal. He had won and walked back to his new friend, leaving the bone by her foot. She leaned down and grabbed the bone with one hand, before tossing far. He ran off in the direction.

"What else do you know about the Valerious clan?" the Bride asked, curiosity in her face.

"That they spent four hundred years fighting Dracula, many losing their lives against him in the process. I'd know that he was a Valerious himself and that they named him as evil and vowed to destroy him at all costs. I don't think they gave him a chance, calling him a monster and ostrozing him." Natasha replied.

Like last time, Erik retrieved the bone and returned with it to the seventeen year old before she grabbed it and tossed it again, far into the den. He ran after it again. Chloe nodded at her comment and spoke, "People fear of what they don't understand,"

Erik, again, retrieved the bone and was heading back to Natasha. The Bride decided to attend her own werewolves. "If you excuse me, I believe it's time for my turn to visit some of the werewolves. Good day," Chloe said her goodbye to the young girl and headed towards the right side of the den where some of the most quietest werewolves were located.

Natasha had decided to give Erik a belly-rub and while she was doing so, she didn't notice the large werewolf approached her stealthy from behind. She didn't notice until he growled lowly. She turned her around and saw his yellow-catlike eyes which glowed with rage and hunger. He continued to growl as he leaned on all-fours. Seeing the fear in her eyes and her frozen, Erik leapt in front of her and growled. He leapt himself forward and latched his teeth onto the throat of the wolf before he was grabbed and thrown hard into the opposite wall. His body hit hard and landed with bruises, cuts that leaked his poisonious blood into his dark fur. Natasha yelped at Erik being thrown and screamed as the wolf turned his attention back to her, he raised his paw into the air and gathered his strength.

She felt backwards onto her bottom and used her arms to protect her from the on-coming assault. It never came. The sound of chains were heard and she opened her eyes to see little dark-clothes people throwing chains all over the now-chained werewolf with the back of Dracula standing in front of her. "You will not harm her, Asher. Hear me, she is not to be harmed and you are not allowed to attack without my permission. Understand?" the Vampire commanded.

His blue piercing eyes were on the werewolf as the Dwergi placed chains on every part of the creature, and yet he was secretly concerned for the brave wolf that defended the Madison woman.

During the fight between Erik and Asher, Chloe had gone to retrieve her master and by this time, he had easily heard Natasha's scream and met his Bride on the way to the den.

Natasha raised herself from the ground and ran over to the young injuried wolf, who was being checked over by Chloe. Through his unharmed eye, he saw her approaching and wagged his short tail in respond. "Will he be alright?" she asked concernly.

"Yes, he will. Werewolves are fast healers but when attack by another werewolf, their healing abilities takes more than a day." the Dwergi forcibly lead the werewolf away and the Count turned his full attention to the trio. Natasha leaned down and kissed the pup on the nose, "You saved me, Erik. Thank you."

Dracula approached the trio and leaned down to gather the wolf into his arms, "I'll deal with Erik's injuries, Chloe... take Ms. Madison back to her room." he ordered and she followed.

"Yes, master." she took the girl by the arm and lead her back to the staircase. The Bride returned the girl to her guest room before seeking her master, who used his own abilities to care for the young wolf. After Erik's wounds had been cleaned and wrapped in bandage, the Count returned to his study with his Bride.

Once inside, the Bride question. "What caused Asher to attack the Madison woman, master?"

"Tell me what happened in the den, Chloe?" he asked her as he sat in his chair behind his desk.

"I was chatting to Natasha about Erik, and... your former family, and after I left. That's when Asher started... but I did notice Alina with him beforehand. It looked like she was hiding... and whispering." spoke the Bride. She told her master all she knew. His mind was made up.

"Master, you don't think Alina would do something like this, do you? We know she's jealous but she wouldn't," Chloe said, trying to defend her sister.

Would she?

Dracula didn't answer and instead decided to find Alina. He did. She was in her room, on the upper floors, combing her hair and singing. She only sang if she was proud of something that she did and that was occasionally. He entered her room, after knocking and stood still till she noticed him. She stood from her seat and bowed, with a grin on her face.

"Master, what a surprise? What are you doing here?" she asked. Dracula wouldn't need a reason to visit his Brides.

"Can't I visit my favourite Bride?" he approached her and once close, wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her to him. He reached his hand to her face, brushing his fingers against her cheek before pushing his lips against hers. It was somewhat rare for Dracula to show affection to his loyal women. Alina pushed her body and lips further against her master.

She didn't notice his arm unwrapped from her waist and then his hands upon her shoulders. He pulled her away and pushed her onto her seat, anger in his face. "Master?" she questioned.

"You told Asher to harm Natasha Madison, after I told you specifically that she is not to be harmed! You went against my orders, Alina!" he pushed her back further until she was pinned between Dracula and her desk. "But master, why not kill her? She will not tell anyone of your presence." she whined.

Dracula hated it when his Brides whined, it was annoying and Alina was the only one who whined. 'Because the girl is important to me, and I won't let any harm come upon her.' he thought privately. "I am the master here, and mark my words if you attempt another way of harming the girl in anyway, again. The punishment will be far more severe." he hissed at her in anger.

"I have been too lenient with you, Alina for too long. It stops now and I will not negotiate with you at all. The girl is not to be harmed, am I understood?" the Count asked her. She did not answer and instead, looked away and sulked. He placed his index funger under her chin and pulled her gaze to him. "Am I understood, Alina?"

"Yes, master." he pulled back and used his pinkie to brush his bangs away from his face and behind his ears. Dracula took few breaths, "Now then, we will put this incident behind us, no more attempts on Ms. Madison's life and perhaps you may be redeemed." with that he turned and left her room, still agitated.

His Bride was treading on his nerve everyday. After her master left, Alina couldn't believe that her master was still protecting that pathetic human! This latest incident had proved something to her, the human must go and she had the perfect way of how to do it without being caught...

X X X

You've met the two Brides of Dracula.

Alina is French, Southern France and wears purple, with the gown being exactly like Aleera's dress. She is alot like Aleera but waymore jealous and more possessive as you noticed in this chapter.

Chloe is Polish and wears orange, with her attire being exactly like Marishka's outfit. She had blonde-platinum hair and grey eyes. She is half-like Marishka and half-like mature.

Clare and Sophanne are British, while Natasha is actually Transylvanian but she was raised in England thus is British.